“That’s not... that’s not enough.”
At 3 p.m. on day thirty-nine, I break.
Lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, phone in hand, I’m scrolling through photos of Mara that I shouldn’t have taken but did anyway.
Mara laughing at something Jasper signed.
Mara asleep in my bed, hair spread across my pillow.
Mara in the library, highlighter in hand, so focused on her textbook she didn’t notice me watching.
Before I can talk myself out of it, I’m dressed and in my car, driving toward the city like a man possessed.
The doorman spots me immediately.
Of course he does. I’m twenty-two, wearing jeans and a hoodie at 4 p.m., and I definitely don’t live here.
“Can I help you?”
“I’m here to see Mara Black,” I say, going for confident and probably landing somewhere near desperate. “I’m a friend from the university.”
“Miss Black isn’t receiving visitors.”
“If you could just tell her I’m here?—”
“Miss Black isn’t receiving visitors,” he repeats. “Would you like me to call someone to escort you from the premises, or can you leave on your own?”
“Look, I know how this looks. I know you’ve probably got orders to keep people away from her, but I’m not trying to causeproblems. I just need to know she’s okay. Sixty seconds, that’s all I’m asking.”
“I’m calling security. You have thirty seconds to leave.”
“Please—”
“You’re an idiot,” Dredyn says when I slink back into the safe house.
“Yep.”
“You could’ve been arrested.”
“Yep.”
“Or worse, the Syndicate could have taken you into their custody.’”
“I know.” I collapse onto the couch, exhaustion finally catching up with the adrenaline crash. “I know, okay? It was stupid. I just—I needed to try.”
“I get it.”
“Yeah?”
“I’ve driven past that building four times. Haven’t gone in, but… I get it.”
Rook’s fist whistles past my jaw with enough force to make my ears ring.
I duck, feeling the air move, and grin up at him. “Careful, Bishop. You chip my teeth, I’m sending you the dental bill.”
He snorts and comes in harder.
Rook fakes left and drives his weight into a right hook that actually clips my cheek. My head snaps sideways as the taste of copper hits my tongue.
